Postpartum Depression with William S. Meyer, MSW, BCD

The Many Faces of Postpartum Depression (PPD): Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment

As most new parents will tell you, caring for an infant is much harder than they had ever imagined; and pregnancy and post-partum periods are especially vulnerable times in a woman’s life. Consequently, the prevalence of new mothers who develop substantial postpartum anxiety and depression may be as high as twenty percent. Yet, many of these women never disclose their experience, in part due to shame and associated stigma, and in part because many health care providers are unsuccessful in eliciting a mother’s genuine feelings about her pregnancy and baby. As clinicians, it is essential that we are well informed about the subtle signs of PPD and that we continue to refine our interviewing skills so that new mothers feel safe to speak freely. In this workshop, William Meyer draws from his years of clinical experience to deepen our understanding of the complex interplay of hormonal, developmental, familial, and cultural factors that affect a new mother’s wellbeing. In addition to identifying risk factors for distress, he will discuss strategies that foster safety and why this makes all the difference for successful interviewing, diagnosing, and intervening.

William S. Meyer, MSW, BCD is an associate clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Ob/Gyn at Duke University Medical Center, where he has worked for 30 years, 15 of which in the high-risk obstetrics clinic. He has facilitated support groups for 20 years with distressed pregnant and postpartum women (where he has by now worked with hundreds of women in group and individual consultation). He has lectured extensively on postpartum emotional disorders and is a featured speaker for expectant parents on preventing postpartum depression in Duke’s mid-pregnancy series. He has also published clinical papers on a variety of mental health topics and received awards for his teaching and clinical work, including the Day-Garrett Award by the Smith College School for Social Work (2010) and the Lifetime Achievement award from the American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work (2011).

Slides | Handouts | Edinburgh Scale | Letter to Accompany Edinburgh Scale | For New Mothers